ROCKY RIVER, Ohio - "It's the small stuff that counts, so if you could take out one chemical pollutant in your environment, why wouldn't you?", asks Amy Roskilly, a Conservation Education Specialist from Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District. Roskilly was speaking at a Green Cleaning Inside and Out workshop Thursday evening at Rocky River's Memorial Hall, 21016 Hilliard Boulevard.
Roskilly said that there are "simple things residents can do to ease storm water pollution." According to Roskilly, "Storm water washes untreated into our waterways, so think of the cumulative effect of all those pollutants, from fertilizers, pesticides, pet waste, leaky oil and gas, to litter, going into our water."
She went on to point out that when it is added up, the repeated exposure of our water to the mass of pollutants from ordinary citizens is "more harmful than pollutants from any other industry or company." Roskilly urged people to think of it as "Death by 1,000 cuts," instead of just one fatal one.
The focus of the Green Cleaning workshop was to give participants a better understanding of hazardous materials, how to properly use, store and dispose of hazardous products, and to make the point that little changes in behavior will have a big impact on the environment as a whole.
Roskilly encouraged attendees to take an inventory of products in their homes. Read labels, do research, know what is hazardous. She said, "terms such as toxic, corrosive, ignitable, reactive," are associated with a hazardous product. Sometimes it may be surprising what is considered hazardous, for instance, air fresheners, laundry detergent and mothballs are all considered hazardous.
Safe cleaners, on the other hand, use words like biodegradable, non-toxic, plant-based ingredients, water-based products on their labels.
Outside the home, Roskilly encouraged people to get their soil tested, pointing out that it helps to know what is going on with your lawn before applying any strategy. She said to "Mow high and let it lie." Setting the lawn mower to 4-6 inches high and watering less often but for a longer duration, encourages deeper root growth. She also encouraged planting ornamental grasses and flowers for less mowing area and pollinator attraction.
About 35 people attended the free Green Cleaning Inside and Out workshop. After the presentation, Roskilly invited participants to make simple cleaning products to take home and use in their homes at a cost of two cleaning solutions for $10. The cleaners were made from basic elements: white vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, essential oils, salts. Roskilly cited that sometimes "getting used to associating the smell of vinegar with clean instead of bleach" can take people awhile.
If that doesn't work, maybe the economic impact might! The cost of making Roskilly's cleaning solution recipes is far less than store bought cleaning products.
For more information on green cleaning or questions on hazardous materials, contact the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District at www.cuyahogaswcd.org.